This invention relates generally to the consolidation of powdered materials to form dense parts, of shaped form, and more specifically concerns improved methods and steps facilitating such consolidation and improved properties of the resultant shapes.
In structural and other industries, there is a continuing strong need for materials with improved properties such as an increased modulus of elasticity (stiffness), to allow more efficient and safer design and use. Such materials must be available in a range of needed forms and sizes.
Structural or high performance alloys are characteristically limited to a standard relatively lower level modulus of elasticity because they are made by initial melting and casting methods that produce this lower level as a constant. In addition to a lower level of modulus of elasticity in cast or cast and worked alloys, it is difficult to control the chemical and metallurgical uniformity and quality of these alloys because of segregation and grain growth phenomena that occur during solidification. Elements or compounds may be added to a melt for the purpose of improving chemical and metallurgical uniformity, but usually will have limited effectiveness and can act as impurities that in the final product are detrimental to the obtaining of optimum mechanical and physical properties. Standard powder metallurgy methods have not provided desired forms and combinations of powders, or methods for blending powders and consolidating them to full density and full properties, with most standard powder metallurgy products having relatively low level (i.e. less than desired) overall properties.